Ebony's POV

"Happy Birthday, Ebs, 16 today." She mumbled to herself. Ebony was staring her her clock, it read 12.01 am, it was the 31 of July. Normally, any other 16 year old girl would have been bursting with excitement, and joy on their 16th birthday. But Ebony knew better than to get her hopes up in thought of a celebration. Ebony's birthday usually went by almost unnoticed. She rolled over onto her back, and stared at the ceiling. She wondered what bit of rubbish she would receive as a birthday present from Uncle Richard, a very large portly man with a doughy purple face and small beady eyes. A coat-hanger? No, she had got one for her 13th, a pack of playing cards? No, way to special for Ebony. She would have to wait till morning. Ebony closed her eyes and began to drift into the dream-world, dreading to dream the same dream she had almost every night.

"Please Tom, don't I beg you, please! Prophecies aren't always true!" The woman's longinky blackhair fell over her face, her green eyes leaking sparkly tears, as she grabbed the hem of the man's black robe.

"How dare you use that filthy Muggle name, step aside," His voice was cold but shaking ever so slightly.

The woman's shoulders were shaking with tears, as she looked up into the cold, cruel face of the voice, "Please! Tom, I love you. Don't-" But she said no more, as the man pointed a long thin wooden stick at her face and whispered, "Avada Kedavra" his voice trailed off at the end, as there was a flash of green light and the woman dropped onto the floor, unmoving. The man chest was heaving, as though crying.

Opposite him, was a small white cot, which a baby now stood,, its peachy face crumpling into tears. It didn't like this game, why was mummy sleeping on the floor? Why daddy's face wet?

The man brought his pale, skull like face up parallel to the baby's, his face wet, his cruel red eyes softened with tears.

"Goodbye, my Ebony..." The man's voice trailed off. He raised his wand to the baby's face. The baby thought this was a toy daddy was giving her, so she reached out her hand...

"Avavda Kedavra" There was a flash of bright green light and the baby fell to to the bottom of the cot.

"Ebony! Breakfast!" Ebony jolted awake, there was a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach, as if someone had dropped a small boulder down they're and her chest felt tight. She was covered in a cold sweat, and the scar that ran from the left side of her fore head to the bottom of her chin was throbbing horribly.

"Ebony, get. Up!" Aunt Mary's voice wafted up the stairs, as did the smell of pancakes and bacon.

Grudgingly, Ebony peeled the covered off her damp skin and took the little brown pill bottle from her bedside table and popped two tegretol pills in her mouth, she was an epileptic, you see. She trudged down stairs, she had a feeling that her birthday would go unnoticed.

And it did, that morning was just like any other morning. Aunt Mary and Uncle Richard acted as if Ebony wasn't even there. When she asked If she was receiving a gift for her birthday, Uncle Richard turned puce and slapped her in the face for being cheeky. It stung and brought tears to her eyes. For the rest of that day, Ebony stayed cooped up in her room, to avoid being hit again. While up in her room, Ebony finished off a painting she had been working on for the past few days of the summer holidays. Painting was Ebony's favourite past time, though she kept this secret. She knew if Uncle Richard found out, he would have thrown every last sketch and painting into the trash, so Ebony kept them hidden beneath a loose floorboard under her bed. The watercolour that she had been completing was a portrait of the woman that she dreamed of every night, Ebony didn't know who she was but she had a strong feeling that she was familiar. She couldn't get the woman's face out of her head, her creamy complexion, emerald green eyes, pitch black hair and full lips. And the funny thing is, the woman looked so much like Ebony. Ebony too, had sparkly green eyes, the same sweet heart shaped face and full lips, but ebony's hair was dark brown with flashes of red. The portrait of the woman from her dream, in Ebony's opinion, was breath taking. It was one of the best she had ever painted. It was so detailed, because the woman's face was permanently etched into her mind.

At dinner, there was the same tense silence as breakfast. Ebony played about with her plate of chicken breast,carrots and mashed potatoes.

"Is there something wrong with the chicken?" Aunt Mary asked sharply.

Ebony shrugged, she didn't feel like eating. The scar on the left side of her face was aching badly, the dream she had had the night before replaying over over in her mind.

"Nope. Its just, I think I've gone vegetarian." She said dryly.

Uncle Richards face, if possible, turned a darker shade of puce

"How dare you speak to your Aunt like that," He growled, and and leaned across and slapped Ebony hard on the face. Her eyes watered, and Aunt Mary looked away. Ebony stood up so fast, the table shook.

"Jerk." She hissed and stormed off, her ears still ringing. Ebony headed straight to the door, and slammed it behind her. She was positively fuming.

How can he treat me like that and get away with it? She thought to herself.

Ebony was sick of it. She had been treated like dirt from the moment her aunt and uncle had laid eyes on her.

Ebony broke out into a run, she loved to vent her anger out on the concrete pavement. Ebony didn't care where she was going, as long as it was away from them. She turned to a jog as she came nearer a deserted park. Gasping, she sat her self down a small grassy hill nest to the swing park, and stared up at the sky, lying flat on her back. The orange sun was slowing sinking into the horizon, splashing deep pinks, yellows, lilacs, greens, blues and reds across the vast sky.

Ebony closed her eyes and started to hum a song, she knew from a dream;

Dancing bears, painted wings,
Things I almost remember
And a song someone sings,
Once upon a December
Someone holds me safe and warm
Horses prance through a silver storm
Figures dancing gracefully
Across my memory
Someone holds me safe and warm
Horses prance through a silver storm
Figures dancing gracefully
Across my memory
Far away, long ago
Glowing dim as an ember
Things my heart used to know
Things it yearns to remember
And a song
Someone sings
Once upon a December

Once she had finished the song, Ebony felt a whole lot calmer. Her chest wasn't as tight and her head was clear. She thought that Uncle Richard had probably calmed down by now, even only a little bit, so she stood up and began the journey home.

It was getting very dark now, the sun had disappeared behind the cityscape, and now the vast sky was washed with deep purples, magentas, lilacs, navys and cerulean.

By the time she had turned into her street, it was very dark. So dark that she almost missed the dark figure leaving her house. Ebony's chest tightened once more, and she felt at the the bottom of her stomach had dropped off.

"Hey! Come back here! Hey!" Ebony began to run after him, the figure turned round and pointed what looked like a twig at her, a red light burst from it, but Ebony ducked and it flew right past her. There was a loud crack and the figure vanishes into thin air. Ebony blinked.

She turned and ran towards her house, her chest tightened so much Ebony found it hard to breathe.

The front door was wide open, and all the lights were off, as if there had been a power cut. Gingerly, she stepped across the landing and into the kitchen. There, waiting to greet her, was a very tall old man with a long silver beard.

His long silvery white hair reached his waist and his silver beard was long enough to tuck into his thin black belt. He wore a midnight blue robe robe of velvet, splattered with silver spangly stars. His silver half moon spectacles rested on a crooked nose. He smiled sadly, and his electric blue eyes sparkled over his half moon spectacles,

"I am very sorry Miss Pearce, I'm afraid I have some very bad news."

Yass! 1st one doneeeee :D Mwuahaha Pleeaaaseee Rate and comment :D Love you dear reader!